Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Saturday called for ensuring financial transparency and accountability in public universities of Bangladesh.
“Financial requirements and cost patterns may differ from institution to institution, but the standards of transparency and accountability in expenditure should be the same in all institutions,” she said while talking as the chief guest at a program of Annual Performance Agreement (APA) for the financial year 2023-24 between the University Grants Commission (UGC) and 46 public universities of the country at a hotel in the capital.
If the existing financial regulations of the government are properly followed in the matter of spending money in the universities of the country, it would be possible to resolve all financial disputes, said Dr Dipu Moni emphasizing the necessity of increasing the skills of those overseeing financial matters.
Dr Dipu Moni said that the ministry had numerous discussions with the university authorities, including vice chancellors and treasurers, regarding university projects and that workshops will be implemented to ensure the proper execution of projects and prevent issues if project planning is transparent.
“University projects should be completed on time. The government has no intent to control universities; however, universities have to operate according to government regulations,” stressed the education minister.
Dr Dipu Moni further drew attention to the severe shortage of teaching staff, with no professors apart from vice-chancellors and treasures.
She pointed out that it takes around 15 years to create a professor and questioned how new universities can operate year after year without professors and associate professors.
The education minister suggested that the UGC could form a pool of senior teachers from various universities to ensure quality education in new institutions.
“The teachers can teach either directly or through blended methods. As a result, students at these new universities would have the opportunity to learn from experienced teachers,” she added.
The education minister further appealed to university teachers to fully support vice-chancellors in their roles, acknowledging that they face enormous unspoken pressures, including recruitment and contracting.
“Often, the vice chancellors do not get support from colleagues, making their jobs difficult. Many even shy away from becoming vice-chancellors due to fears of disrespect,” said Dipu Moni, also requesting university teachers to avoid such unintended practice.
